Emmanuel EMERUE

The Parish Priest, Fr. Francis Oyetunji started his homily by calling to mind the essence of the celebration of the day in the life of the Church being Pentecost Sunday and a commemoration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and perhaps a celebration that has been with us and has existed for over 2000 years. And hitherto, a celebration which marks the close of the Paschal celebration.

In his usual manner, the Parish Priest delivered his homily using the dual lingua, being English and Yoruba for a proper understanding of the lay faithful so that everyone is incorporated into the celebration.

The Parish Priest in his homily dwelt and extracted his lessons from all the three readings of the day. He consciously brought to the mind of the congregation that all that are practiced today in the Church have its pedigree from the body of the text of readings of the day with the associated actions of the apostles, one such as highlighted by him was the observance of the novena among the Catholic faithful, citing the fact that the apostles observed novena while they gathered at the upper room and the holy spirit descended upon them which perhaps fortified them, did so much that could never imagined, fear and the spirit of intimidation were eliminated in them and they could preach the good news to every end.

In the same vein, he brought again to the consciousness of living as a community of Gods people just the way the apostles did such that they could do so much and never to live and work in isolation, for in isolation could only little be achieved. He identified as reaching out to the whole world by preaching the good news just as the way apostles did, following the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

However, the Parish priest expressed his reservations here by telling the people of God that, this can only be achieved among us when we have the substance and understand the substance, that if we lack substance, what message of the gospel do we want to share and preach? Hence, he admonished everyone to avail themselves to the Holy Spirit so that we too can courageously go into the world and spread the good news.

Part of the lessons of the readings of the celebration was the life of prayer which he identified as pertinent among the apostles. Again, he expressed his concern as regards the tiring attitude that members of the Church accorded prayer, particularly the Mass, where he highlighted the fact that, more often than not, before the invitation of prayer by the priest at Mass, some Catholic faithful would have already stood on their heels, this he considers as being mechanical and again he never failed to express his concerns as regards programming the time to the close of Mass before it began. The last highlight of his lessons with the corresponding readings and the celebration was that which he identified as expressing and living the life of faith.

 

The Church in Ido equally celebrated the investiture of young boys and girls who by their own volition and with the help of God have decided to serve and assist the Priest at the sanctuary, serve God's people and the Church at large. This celebration also experienced the taking of vows and allegiance to the Church authorities in respect, obedience and humility and the vestments which were worn on them by their Parents. Following the ceremony of investiture was a Thanksgiving to God by the newly invested altar servers.

Celebrated also was the Feast Day and Thanksgiving of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit Sisters and Novices. Their presence with special participation in liturgy made the celebration memorable.